Obama leads America’s goose-stepping march towards a fascist state

As the economy continues to sputter and ill-conceived wars in Iraq and Afghanistan remain stalled, the erratic administration of Barack Obama can point to progress on one front: America’s headlong rush from a free society to a fascist state.

Obama’s election was supposed to bring an end to the police-state tactics of George W. Bush and his flamboyant Field-Marshall — Dick Cheney. We waited for the new President to dismantle to system that allowed the National Security Agency to spy on Americans without oversight. We expected to see the rights-robbing USA Patriot Act dumped into the dustbin of bad ideas.

But Obama the President turned out to be a far cry from Obama the candidate. The candidate of change became of the President of status quo. Obama signed an extension of the Patriot Act, gave the NSA even more authority to snoop into the lives of Americans and instructed the Justice Department to aggressively fight any and all legal attempts to stem the police-state tactics of the federal government.

Now attorney general Eric Holder says he and Obama want to modify the Miranda warning that gives suspects the right to remain silent to tailor the protections to the crime. Uncle Sam wants the authority to give those arrested of some crimes less rights than others.

This is a dangerous, disturbing precedent and indicates the actions of an inexperienced President drunk from the intoxicating power of the White House. Like Bush, Obama is becoming an imperial President who thinks the law does not apply at 1600 Pennsylvania. Like Bush, Obama apparently believes the Constituion is a disposable document that can be ignored if he or his cronies disagree with time-honored concepts like liberty, freedom and the right to presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This goose-stepping march towards a fascist state comes as Democrat-turned-independent Joe Lieberman leads a Senate charge to new legislation that would strip citizenship from Americans suspected of links to terrorism. Proponents of the bill say turning such suspects into non-citizens would make it easier to kill them.

A key word here is “suspects.” The bill does not require a conviction. All it takes to lose citizenship is a “suspicion.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appears to support the bill, saying those who side with terrorist violate their oath of citizenship.

Obama doesn’t need a new law to issue orders to kill American citizens. He signed an order authorizing the U.S military to track down and kill radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki — an American citizen.

This dangerous path can lead to future abuses. What prevents future administrations and Congresses from expanding the list of “crimes” that no longer require protections of Miranda or benefits of citizenship? If we can strip an American of citizenship because he or she is suspected of criminal activity then can any American feel safe from false imprisonment or even assassination at the hands of our own government.

“Children were sometimes hit with a strap to make them work faster. In some factories children were dipped head first into the water cistern if they became drowsy. Children were also punished for arriving late for work and for talking to the other children. Apprentices who ran away from the factory were in danger of being sent to prison. Children who were considered potential runaways were placed in irons. They would also have weights tied to their necks if they weren’t working quick or well enough.” Wiki.

That’s what is was like for child workers back in the early days of the industrial revolution – capitalism in all its brutality.

Such conditions in western democracies today would not be tolerated. The reason why conditions changed was due to the efforts of the workers movements. We all know the story. In short capital has never surrendered anything – it had to be demanded and taken. Maybe the commies (in western democracies) saved the capitalists from themselves; think Russia.

Now, the point I’m attempting to make is that today we actually live in a socialist society – by comparison to earlier times. Think about it. Of course capital has been whittling away at the workers hard won benefits for the past 30 years now and will continue to do so. That nature of the beast.

Democracy as a form a government is a socialistic idea – government by the people. Capital couldn’t give a sh*t about the people (unless made to by law). Western prosperity parallels the growth of industry, theft and murder (imperialism) and the growth of democracy. Sadly capital doesn’t like democracy and is at present doing a pretty good job in reversing things as best it can.

Yes things are beginning to stink of fascism. Yet human being are by nature socialists – think about it. As mammals we are no different to many others, we have always lived in communities for safety and prosperity. We were socialists long before we were capitalits.

I find it amusing when people speak of socialism negatively. If you live in a democratic society, pay taxes (directly or indirecty), drive on the freeways, borrow books from the libray, receive family benefits or government pensions then you are a part of a socialist society. Of course if one believes that socialism is bad then one does not have to claim benefits, or drive on the freeways, or borrow books etc.etc.etc.

I suppose once we, as a people, chose (forced sometimes) to live in very large communities/nations then all forms of government were destined to become inadequate and would eventually decay. Maybe Plato was right when he stated that all political systems end by destroying themselves by excess.

At the end of the day one might be tempted to ask: do we really need politicians, and if not, how could we as a community administrate and plan for ourselves in a truly fair and “just” manner?

Of course one is tempted to ask: what is justice? A question asked some 2,500 years ago in Greece – the result was The Republic. Somehow I don’t think Philosopher Kings are the answer, but I what like to consider alternatives based on the inescapable reality that human beings are intrinsically socialists; like rats, horses, elephants etc we really do need one another to survive.

A Corporate State is a Facist State. Speculation is not Free Trade. Speculation creates False Market Value rather than Fair Market Value, which means inflated prices to the consumer. What a better place the World would be if there was no Wall Street.

When thinking of political ‘space’ it is worthwhile considering it to be not one-dimensional, right vs. left, but at least two dimensional. The other dimension being ‘personal determination’ (libertarian) vs. ‘state determination’ (authoritarian). There’s a really fun little political quiz, only ten questions, that does a fairly good job of placing one’s political perspective on this two-dimensional map. What’s fun is first, of course, putting yourself on the map. More fun that that is putting other people on the map. Your wife. Your parents. Barack Obama. George Bush. Oh my. Try it and maybe you’ll reach an interesting perspective. The link is [here].

No one seeks power to benefit others. Everyone seeks power so they don’t have to cater to the whims of others. If more people had the balls to go off on their own quest for power, maybe we all wouldn’t be at the mercy of the Wall Street Junta.

It seems to me that the “fear” that the Republicans have been spreading has spilled over into the drinking water of Southwest Va. Hey Doug, you need to quit drinking that water down there, it makes you hallucinate. I actually feel better today about my “freedom” than 2 years ago, which it had to improve since it was “looking up to see bottom” under Bush.

This situation is something like King Henry VIII discovering that his young 17 year old wife (Queen) Katherine) had been unfaithful. In the process of investing the allegations against the Queen, it came to light that the Queen’s head Lady in Waiting would fetch her lover and stand watch for the Queen as she and her lover engaged in, as they put it then, carnal knowledge. That, of course, that led to the charge of adultry. The Lady in Waiting was arrested along with the Queen.

The young Queen and her Lady were sentenced to beheading.

Both the Queen and her Lady in Waiting were confined. During confinement, the Lady in Waiting had a serious breakdown, which they referred to as “gone mad”, or what might be considered as “insane” today.

A problem arose concerning the King’s sentencing of the Queen and her Lady in Waiting.

The King was informed that It was prohibited by law created by the “King’s” Parliment to execute a mad person. The King became ragingly pissed King and ordered that Pariment was to immediately change the law, which they expediently did.

Hence, the Lady in Waiting was beheaded along with the Queen.

Is our King instructing our Parliment to instantly change laws at his bidding without reqard of the laws of the land…just because he’s not pleased with how the laws are written? If it is so, then it’s far from the first time by previous Kings to our current. It won’t be the last time.

Hear Ye All Good Surfs, just heed the King’s rules and “maybe” you’ll escape a horrible death.

In essence G-Lawyer there’s nothing wrong with the QHSR list providing the implementation of such measures doesn’t violate the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, the legal standing of habeas corpus for all citizens accused of a crime, posse comitatus along with internment without the right to being charged with one’s alleged crimes against the state and to know who your accusers might be.

Unfortunately, starting with the ‘Patriot Act’ implemented post 9/11 along President Obama’s agreement to extend ugly provisions of the act including surveillance and wire-tapping without a warrant, along with renditions still being in place and his recent excercise of the “unitary executive”; ie. even ruling summary execution of a an American citizen though living in Yemen and linked to terrorist activity.

So what we have is the ever-troweling of the bricks around our womb to tomb welfare/warfare state internment camp with the only right remaining being the “right to shop until you drop”. Seemingly if they curtail this activity then they might have some serious opposition on their hands. I remember distinctly how the G.W. Bush and corporate executives made commercials urging folks to “git shoppin'” again post 9/11…?! / : |

Might I recommend for a course in US history and politics? Evidently, you believe that the democratically elected Congress and a democratically elected President are an illegitimate government. Perhaps your problem lies with the party in the majority and the heritage of the President. Whatever your problem, the current government – although it doesn’t correspond to my wishes in a lot – is not at all eratic – and it’s a good deal better than what the US had to put up with from 2001-2009.
What corporations fund this site?

Thanks Ray…I’ve been really disappointed in the articles I’ve found recently on this site. It seems to have evolved into Tea Baggery. I still have faith in Obama being a decent human being, and a smart one. George Bush, a true fascist, and Dick Cheney, a true madman, never had to put up with the endless currents this administration has had to swim against. How anyone can accomplish anything with legions of pompous and presumptuous blatherers with too much time on their hands, and little to offer in the way of solutions, I don’t know, but the fellow seems to be up for it. I too balk at some of the decisions that we hear about~on the other hand, leaving himself powers to haul Cheney and Bush and Rove and Rummy off to the hoosegow whenever he wants seems a strategic move towards staying alive. I wonder how many Dougs would have the courage to be a person of color, and of the people, in this climate of stupidity, racism, and misinformation. I’m so sick of the intellectuals with zero ability to imagine being in the shoes of anyone trying to confront corporate, fascist, power in the world today. Usually, they get killed. It’s easy to bluster online, not so easy to be accountable. Yeah, what corporations fund this site indeed.

“Yeah, what corporations fund this site indeed.” …extract from zuzumamu’s post

Yo to the “brain dead”…!

You must both work for Goldman Sachs and this is your off hours post, hoping to destabilize Mr. Thompson’s comments with such non sequitur, uninformed thought processes.

Yes, Ray our government is illegitimate and if you think it’s legit then I could sell you beachfront property in “Death Valley”… ? : |

This cabal of Congressional crimpols that we’ve mistakenly assume represents us are totally bought and sold by shadowy, deep pockets corporatist interests through their running dog lobbyists…period!

Zuzu; I’ve never come across your handle on this site, but your driveby expressed sentiments indicates to me that you are the equivalent of a deer in the headlights of a semi, soon to put you out of your miserable paradigm of ignorance; ie., your head perpetually in the sand.

Yep, keep cheerin’ them on guy/gals and hopefully things will change…NOT!

As far as Doug Thompson being bought off by corporate interests tells me you two are doing bad drugs too. Just say no is all I can say… : ))

Great article Doug. I’m in my early 50s and it disturbs me greatly how things like torture and stripping citizens of their citizenship are now up for legitimate discussion. We prosecuted Japanese in WWII for water boarding people now we allow ourselves to do it, and I could go on and on.

As I have said, thanks to the ongoing work of our self-serving, dirt-bag politicians, our once proud, welcoming, and most of all FREE United States of America has now become a nation that forces others (often at the point of a gun) to embrace everything that it is not, while at the same time condemning everything that it is.

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